Demons Horror

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Doja Cat first alluded to a demon-inspired theme in early March 2023, changing her TikTok profile picture to that of a demon and posting outtakes from a photoshoot showing her dressed as one. On July 12, she shared blood-stained photos on Instagram described as "demonic" and "creepy." The title "Demons" was first revealed as part of the tracklist with a short snippet in April 2023. On August 27, 2023, Doja shared a still of the upcoming music video showing her sitting in a bathtub filled with thick black liquid, a sharp-nailed demon holding her head while possessing her. She announced the single on social media on August 28, 2023. The cover art shows the rapper hanging upside down from a living room ceiling with "Demons" written on the wall, covered in black body paint, widely referred to as the "backroom" aesthetic.

In Their Own Story

The music video premiered at Cinespia in Los Angeles on August 27, 2023, with a trailer later uploaded to Doja Cat's official website. Directed by Christian Breslauer and co-starring actress Christina Ricci, the video features Doja in a demonic form, haunting a house and terrifying the people inside before driving them away. Her demonic form was created with full-body makeup. Pitchfork's Shaad D'Souza called the video a "miniature horror film that's creepier and more fun than pretty much anything Blumhouse put out last year," praising Doja for keeping the "art of the iconic music video" alive. Rolling Stone's Charisma Madarang described it as "a stunning flex of macabre," noting homages to the films Poltergeist (1982) and The Shining (1980).

Reader's Guide

The song's production features a heavy, distorted beat and a menacingly looped string sample, described by Stereoboard's Jon Stickler as "trap-inspired" with "punchy beats and layered synths." Critics noted comparisons to other artists: Pitchfork's Shaad D'Souza compared the beat to a "pop-ified" version of Tyler, the Creator's work circa Goblin, and Doja's "clipped" flow to a text-to-speech app. Stereogum's Tom Breihan compared the song to Baby Keem's works, noting the production "samples a shrill shriek of strings, transforming it into something choppy and brittle." RGM stated that at times Doja Cat "sounds like Nicki Minaj, then channels Kendrick Lamar, and even takes on the persona of an irate teacher." The track is 3:15 in length.

Did You Know?

• The music video co-stars actress Christina Ricci and was directed by Christian Breslauer.
• The cover art shows Doja Cat hanging upside down from a living room ceiling with the word 'Demons' written on the wall.
• Critics compared the song's beat to a 'pop-ified' version of Tyler, the Creator's work from his album Goblin.
• The music video premiered at Cinespia in Los Angeles on August 30, 2023, before being uploaded online.
• The song was produced by D.A. Got That Dope, who also produced other tracks on Scarlet.